COLLEGE STATION – Examining critical issues facing Texas counties in the new millennium will be the job for more than 500 county judges and commissioners at the 42nd Annual County Judges and Commissioners’ Continuing Education Conference and Education Exposition Feb. 8-10.
The event will be held at the College Station Hilton Conference Center, and is sponsored by the V.G. Young Institute of County Government, part of the Texas Agricultural Extension Service.
National Association of Counties President C. Vernon Gray will be the capstone speaker, addressing the challenges and opportunities facing counties from the national perspective. A professor of political science at Maryland’s Morgan State University, Gray began his political career in 1982 as the first African-American to be elected to the Howard County Council.
“Texas is one of the few states requiring all elected officials to earn continuing education credits,” said John Gilmartin, Extension coordinator of the institute. “The institute provides information and educational and technical assistance to elected officials at no additional cost to taxpayers.”
Sessions are led by leaders in government, the private sector, academia and county officials. At 10:30 a.m. Feb. 9, representatives from the U.S. Census will present “Census/Redistricting.”
“One of the current issues facing counties at this time is the 2000 census,” said Richard Avery, Extension specialist, V.G. Young Institute. “Census data is very important at the state and local level. The results of the census impacts funding and political representation for the next decade.”
Roads are also an important issue for counties. The Texas Department of Transportation, Texas Transportation Institute, an attorney and an engineer will host sessions on roads on the afternoon of Feb. 9. Topics include unified road systems, basics of good roads, right-of-way and private road issues.
“Our theme is ‘Knowledge and Service: Keys to the 21st Century,'” Gilmartin said. “This year, we’re offering several sessions in judicial training. We’re also offering a workshop session, ‘How Do you Govern: The Internet.’
“The object of this conference is to give elected officials the tools they need so they can make informed decisions and feel confident that those decisions are based on the best and latest information.”
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